Munising
James L. "Jim" Cromell, age 83, of 200 W. City Park Drive, Munising, died on Wednesday evening, June 30, 2010 at the Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette where he had been a patient for one day. Jim was born in Munising on March 31, 1927 to the late Clara (Herbst) and William Cromell. He attended Munising schools and at the age of seventeen joined the U.S. Navy, serving from August 1944 to June of 1946. On his eighteenth birthday, he participated in the invasion of Okinawa. He was always very thankful that he returned home to the place he loved.
Jim was employed by Kimberly Clark for twenty-five years. Upon leaving there, he went back to sailing the Great Lakes on U.S. Steel Ore boats. Jim married Patricia Perry in 1949. They raised their three sons Steve, Nick, and Dick. He loved his family and truly enjoyed the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jim loved the woods and the water, and he was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a great gardener, furnishing produce to family, friends and neighbors.
Surviving Jim are his wife of sixty-one years and best friend - Pat; sons - Steve (Debra) Cromell, Nick (Shirley) Cromell and Dick (Carol) Cromell; grandchildren - Cassie (Roy) Cromell, Lucas Cromell and Carrie (Brent) Hill; step-grandchildren - Lynne (Randy) Maki, Steve (Denise) Pokela and Peter (Becky) Pokela; great-grandchildren - Isaac, Simon, Carter, Ethan, Ryan, Lukas, Nicholas, Tyler, Isobel, Matthew, A.J., Halle and Jack; and many special nephews, nieces and cousins. William (Pat) Cromell of Minnesota is the only remaining sibling. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Alice Hansen, Anne Munn and Helen Toebe and brothers Henry, Tom, Guy and John Cromell.
Graveside services will be held on Friday, July 23, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising. The Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors at that time.